The following exhaust modifications will bring your Vstar exhaust as
close to a Harley as I’ve heard.  It's alot of work, but worth it. It is
time consuming, frustrating, might make your knuckles bleed, and MIGHT
VOID YOUR WARRANTY, but cruise downtown in 3rd, crack it...and watch
heads turn.

It will cost you about $350 to replace your stock exhaust, so proceed
with caution.

REMOVING THE CONES……30 MINUTES

Inside your factory exhaust is a black cone, which is welded onto the
final exhaust pipe.  This cone needs to be removed.  If you have
torches, lucky you!  If not, a 1” drill saw bit,  drilled center will
break the weld.   Using the saw bit will be a little messy, but we will
clean up later.

1” drill saw bit is used to cut the bolt hole in a door.   Use a quality
bit, not the bit set you buy at Kmart for $1.99
 

REMOVING THE PLATE…..30 MINUTES

Once the cone is removed, you will see a rear plate holding the final
exhaust pipe in place.  Remove this plate.  Torches again!  No torches
you say?  That’s okay.  Drill holes around the outer edge of the plate
until all that's left of the plate is a small piece between the holes.
Once you have all these holes drilled, a small hacksaw blade will finish
the job of removing the rest of the plate.  Once the plate is gone, the
final exhaust pipe will be hanging freely in the center of the exhaust
hole.

REMOVING THE PIPE……1 HOUR…30 MINUTES

Now you must remove the final exhaust pipe.  Place something firm into
the pipe, a rod, a thin broom stick, and rotate it in a circular motion
until the welds at the other end of the pipe break.  You will notice the
pipe getting looser as the welds weaken.  The welds break on the inside
of the exhaust, and it will appear that your final pipe is stuck on the
other end, behind the plate, because, holy S#@T you can't pull it out.
It is stuck, but this is not a problem.

The welds you just broke are on a soft metal plate.  A long screwdriver
and a hammer, or a long drill bit, or a chisel,  will enlarge the holes
to allow the weld to pass through, so you can remove the pipe.  This
will be a little messy, but unless someone looks up your pipes with a
flashlight, no one will see the cut plate.

CLEAN UP….. 30 MINUTES

Using a file, or a screwdriver & hammer, file, cut, or fold back any
jagged edges of metal inside the exhaust.

Mask around the outside exhaust, covering the chrome at the opening.

Using a heat resistant flat black, give the inside a good coat of paint.

Let dry.
 

This exhaust will now let you run with the big boys.  Fairly loud, much
deeper, but not as thunderous as the real bad asses.

The only thing left to do is check your mixture after 100 miles or so.
It may need richening.  I would have your mechanic do that, and watch
his face as he looks inside your pipes.

After 150 miles, I experienced some bluing in the front cylinder, at the
top of the pipe.  My service manager said this mod would do no harm, and
my plugs were a healthy color.  he also said that that bluing at this
spot is expected, because there is no heat shield.

Enjoy your new sound, and send me a .wav file when your done.

Richard Oulahen
Lindsay ON
ISRA #642
Riding "Hector"  1998 Black Classic Vstar